Incandescent gas-lamp.



PATENTBD PEB. 24,' 1950s.

s. PRosKBY. y INGMIDESGENT GAS LAMP.

N0 MODEL.

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PATENTBD FEB.I 24,1903.4

s. PRosKRY.

' INGANDESGENT GAS LAMP.

APPLIUATION Hun un. 1o. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINFIELD SCOTT PROSKEY, OF OCALA, FLORIDA.

INCANDESCENT GAS-LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,650, dated February24, 1903.

Application filed April 19, 1902. Serial No. 103,754. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WINFIELD SCOTT PROS- KEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Ocala, in the county of Marion, State of Florida,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IncandescentGas-Lamps, of which the following is a specificationpreference being hadto the drawings accompanying and forming part ofthe same.

The object of my invention is to produce an incandescent gas-lamp ofhigh candlepower, yet of simplicity and economy in manufacture. Thisobject I attain by the following construction.

Referring to the drawings, Figure-1 shows my lamp in a centrallongitudinal section ;y

Fig. 2, a similar section in a plane perpendicular to that of Fig. 1;Fig. 3, a top plan view of the gas-chamber and gas-nozzles, and Fig. 4 asection through one of the nozzles.

The casing of my lamp is designated by 1,

consisting of the chimney 2 and the globe 3,

with its connections supported by the base 4, and extending within theglobe 3 is an ordinary Bunsen tube 5, having a burner 5a, over which issupported a mantle in the usual manner. It is not necessary that theBunsen` or mixing tube be wholly within the globe, as it may extend somelittle distance below the base; but I have found that the heating of themixture is more effectual in the former arrangement.

The base 4 is suspended from the chimney 2 by means of tubular supports6 6, extending through the base and open at the top and bottom for apurpose soon to be described. The tubes 6 6 may be said to be alongsidethe burner in the sense that they are not chimneys, properly so called,surrounding the burner and mantle; but itis notto be understood thatthey must necessarily be'closely adjacent thereto.

The globe 3, normally resting on a cushion 7 on the base 4, is carriedby the ring 8, which rests on a flange 9 of the chimney. The globe issupported against a cushion 10 on the under side of the carrier-ring,the purpose of these non-combustible .cushions being not only toconstitute a yielding contact-surface, but also the better to render thecasing-joints substantially air-tight. When it is desired to expose theburner for any purpose, the globe may be easily raised with the carrierfrom the iiange 9.

The chimney 2 may' be of the usual form;

' but for the present purposeI have found that more satisfactory resultsare obtained by making it with a constricted portion 11.

Gas is .supplied to the burner through the gas-tube 12, adapted to beconnected to a source of gas. I n order to heat the gas to the highestpossible temperature before consumption', the tube 12 enters the casingat the top 'the chamber, the nozzles are inclined in the same directionin order to impart a whirling or rotary motion to the ascending columnof air and gas, by which thev two are more effectually mixed. It is notnecessary that the orifices be minute for the purpose of increasing vthespeed of the escaping gas, since the strong .draft of the lamp aids inentraining air.

The whirling motion is counteracted to some extent by the high draftthrough Vthe mixing-tube; but theresultant motion is sufficient toeffect a complete mixture. The valve 16 is of any convenient by-passconstruction and controls the pilot-tube 17. The quantity of gasconsumed is regulated by the valve 14. This valve should, I have found,be located at some distance from the lamp, at least far enough away notto be` appreciably aEected by the heat of the lamp either by directradiation or by conduction along the pipe 12. If the valve 14 is tooclose to the lamp, the gas becomes heated before passing the Valve withconsiderable expansion. The resultis that the pressure of the gas at thevalve is altered and the steady iiow disturbed. As this disturbanceoccurs only after the lamp has beenin operation some little time, it isnecessary t0 readjustthe regulating-valve, and often considerabledifficulty is experienced in making the adjustment such that the supplyof gas to the burner will not fall below the initial rate; but bylocating the valve some distance from the lamp, so that it does notbecome IOO heated, these difficulties are to a great extent overcome.The temperature of the gas being the same on both sides of theconstricted passage of the valve 14, its flow is not retarded. It wouldseem that the subsequent heating of the gas within the casing wouldexert a back pressure sufficient to disturb the ow at the valve; but Ifind that it does not and believe the causes therefor to be the momentumof the gas-stream, the practically un- `restricted outfiow through theexpansionchamber and nozzles, and the high draft of the lamp. .The rstof these causes exists, of course, independent of the distance of theregulating-valve from the lamp; but its effect is insulhcient unlessaided by so me other means, such as those just stated. By making theorifices of the outlets or nozzles l5 of considerable size the fiow ofgas is not restricted at the point of issuancethat is, the fuel underpressure produced by heating the pipe l2 finds an opportunity for freeexpansion in the direction of its flow, and this free expansion by thedischarge of the gas through the nozzles 15 is assisted by the strongdraft through the Bunsen tube 5, as will 'be readily understood. Severalcauses cooperate to produce the high draft necessary for the bestoperation of the lamp. Among these are the initial velocity of thedischarging gas, the fact that the joints of the casing are practicallyair-tight, the draft-tubes 6 6, and the constricted chimney. ,Thefrrstof these starts the draft, which as the parts of the lamp become heatedis increased by the other means. The casing being air-tight, any airwhich enters while the lamp is in operation must enter through theBunsen tube, the draft-tubes, or downward through the top of thechimney. Vhen the burner is first lighted, there is a certain quantityof air in the globe; but the oxygen therein is rapidly exhausted bycombustion at the surface of the mantle, its place being taken by theresulting products until the globe is entirely filled with such productsand the inert constituents of the air all in a highly heated condition,and in this way the tubes 6 6 are heated, setting up a swift current ofhot air therethrough. The use of these tubes, I have found, obviates thenecessity for a very long draft-chimney. They are carried above the topof the globe well up into the chimney until their openings are close tothe constricted part, where the current through the chimney is swiftest,and by discharging the draft-tubes at that point thespeedisstillfurtheraccelerated. The velocity of the ascending currentsthere is so high and the outlets of the draft-tubes so far above throughsimple openings in the base of the globe, the currents would bediffused, and

while they would have a generally upward direction of ow they wouldnevertheless affect the iiame; but by confining them to the draft-tubesand discharging them into the constricted part of the casing the flameis not only undisturbed, but the momentum of the two streams issuingfrom the comparatively small outlets of the tubes has an appreciableeffect in increasing the draft of the entire system. Of course thesuction of the chimney will to a certain extent carry off some of thegases from the lower part of the casing; but this action is so slow andthe supply of the products of combustion to ll the globe so even andconstant that the fiame is not noticeably affected.

'Ihe structure which I have just described is a convenient embodiment ofmy invention; but it will be understood that I am not limited to theprecise form shown.

What I claim isl. In anincandescent gas-lamp, the combination with acasing, a burner in the lower part of the casing, and means forsupplying fuel to the burner, of one or more draft-tubes extending fromthe lower part of the casing and discharging within the same at a pointabove the burner, said burner being outside said draft-tubes, as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In an incandescent gas-lamp, the combination with a casing having itsupper part constricted, a burner in the lower part of the casing, andmeans for supplying fuel to the burner, of one or more draft-tubesextending from the lower part of the casing and discharging within thesame adjacent the coustricted part, said burner being outside saiddraft-tubes, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an incandescent gas-lamp, the combination with a burner, of meansfor supplying fuel thereto, comprisinga mixing-tube, a gaschamberadapted to be connected with a source of gas, and a plurality of nozzleson said gas-chamber discharging into the mixing-tube, said nozzles beinginclined from the perpendicular, whereby a whirling or rotary motion isgiven to the air and gas in the mixing-tube, as and for the purpose setforth.

4. In an incandescent gas-lamp, the combination with a casingsubstantially air-tight in its lower part and a burner therein, of meansfor supplying fuel to the burner comprising a mixing-tube, a gas-chamberhaving an opening for discharging gas into the mixing-tube, a gas-tubeadapted to be connected with a source of gas, extending within thecasing and connected to the gas-chamber, and a valve for regulating thesupply of gas located in the gas-tube without the casing and beyond therange of the heat of the lamp, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an incandescent gas-lamp, the combination with a casing having itsupper part constricted, a burner in the lower part, and one or moredraft-tubes extending within the casing from the lower part anddischarging ad- IOC IIO

- 721,650. I Y, 3f

jacent the constricted partei'l means for supthe supply of gas locatedin thegas-tube plying fuel to the burner, comprising a mx.- Without thecasing and beyond the range of ro ngltubefa, gas-chamber having anopening heat of the lamp, as and'for the purpose set for discharging gasinto the mixing-tube, a forth. n

5 gas-tube adapted to be connected to a source WINFIELD SCOTT PROSKEY.

of gas extending within the casing so as to 'Y Witnesses: n be heatedfrom the burner and connected to ISAML. HUSSY,

-- the gas-chamber, and a valve for regulating lvL LAWSON DYER.

